Timeline of The Walt Disney Company

This is a timeline of The Walt Disney Company, listing notable business events for the organization.

19231966
The Walt Disney Company was founded in 1923, and found much success under Walt Disney's
leadership through his death in 1966.
1923 - Walt Disney signed a contract with M.J. Winkler to produce a series of Alice
Comedies, beginning the Disney Company under its original name Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio,
with brothers Walt and Roy Disney, as equal partners.
1926 - Company changed name to The Walt Disney Studio shortly after moving into the new
studio on Hyperion Avenue in the Silver Lake district.
1929 - On December 16, the original partnership formed in 1923 is replaced by Walt Disney
Productions, Ltd. Three other companies, Walt Disney Enterprises, Disney Film Recording Company,
and Liled Realty and Investment Company, are also formed.
1937 - Walt Disney's first animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released.
1938 - On September 29, Walt Disney Enterprises, Disney Film Recording Company, and
Liled
Realty and Investment Company and Walt Disney Productions, Ltd. are merged to formed Walt
Disney Productions.
1954 - October 27: Beginning of the Disneyland TV program on ABC.
1966 - September: Walt Disney is diagnosed with lung cancer; died on December 15.

19671983
After Walt's death in 1966, the company began a slow decline with no clear direction, which
culminated in an unsuccessful greenmail attempt to buy the company from current shareholders.
1971 - (i) Roy Oliver Disney dies; Donn Tatum becomes chairman and Card Walker
becomes president.
(ii) Eastern Airlines is branded as "The Official Airline of Walt Disney World".
(iii) The Walt Disney World Resort opens.
1977 - Walt's nephew Roy E. Disney, resigns from the company citing a decline in
overall product quality and issues with manager.
1980 - (i) Walt Disney Home Entertainment releases its first videotapes.
(ii) Disney's first co-production, with Paramount Pictures, is Popeye.
1982 - (i) The Coca-Cola Company has an unsuccessful buyout attempt for Disney.
(ii) Walt's son-in-law Ron W. Miller succeeds Card Walker as CEO.

19842004
Michael Eisner is hired from ABC to be the new CEO, along with Frank Wells as president. They
bring leadership vision and place an emphasis on theme park expansion and improving the quality of
the theatrical releases.
1984 - The Walt Disney Classics video collection starts up.
1987 - (i) The company and the French government sign an agreement for the creation of
the first Disney Resort in Europe: the Euro Disney project starts.
(ii)The company opens up a Hall of Fame called Disney Legends with Fred
MacMurray
as the first induction.
1990 - (i) Hollywood Pictures is created to produce films aimed towards more mature adult
audiences.
(ii) Disney Adventures magazine begins publication.
1992 - The company is granted permission for a National Hockey League expansion
franchise. The team is named the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim to coincide with the
release of The Mighty Ducks.
1993 - Disney acquires independent film distributor Miramax Films.
1996 - (i) The company takes on the name of "Disney Enterprises, Inc." and acquires the
Capital Cities/ABC group, renaming it ABC, Inc.
(ii) Disney acquires Jumbo Pictures, producer of the Nickelodeon animated series
Doug.
(iii) To celebrate the pairing, ABC's first Super Soap Weekend is held at Walt Disney
World.
2001 - (i) Disney buys Fox Family Network for $3 billion in July, giving Disney
programming
and cable network reaching 81 million homes.
(ii) Disney changes Fox Family Network to ABC Family.
2004 - Eisner is replaced by George J. Mitchell as chairman of the board after a 43% vote of
no confidence.

2005present
After becoming CEO, Robert Iger begins to rebuild the Disney brand by redirecting focus on core
assets, such as feature animation and the theme parks. One early accomplishment was repairing the
Disney-Pixar relationship, resulting in Disney's purchase of Pixar for $7 billion.
2005 - (i) Disneyland celebrates its 50th anniversary on July 17.
(ii)Bob Iger replaces George J. Mitchell as CEO.
2006 - Disney acquires Pixar Animation Studios.
2010 - (i) March 12, 2010 - Disney announces that Image Movers Digital will cease
operations by January 2011.

(ii) Disney sells the Power Rangers franchise to Saban

Brands for USD $100 million.
(iii) Disney lost the rights of Digimon in May, 2012.
(iv) Disney sells Miramax to Filmyard Holdings, LLC for $660 million.
(v) Disney Channel ends one of its most successful television series, Hannah
Montana.
2011 - Disney earns global theme park rights to James Cameron's Avatar franchise, and
announces the first Avatar-themed project at Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom.
2012 (i) Alan F. Horn is chosen by Iger to assume Ross' role as Chairman of Walt Disney
Studios.
(ii) Disney acquires Lucasfilm from George Lucas, including its Star Wars and Indiana
Jones properties for $4.05 billion.